We decided to take the plunge! Our small farm now has 900 pounds of sassy, curious, and loving Jersey cow named Mocha.
Mocha's Story
We have been working with our friends and mentors at Earthwise Farm & Forest since the winter of 2020 and were introduced to Mocha during our time there. Lisa and Carl have been caring for cows and running a raw milk dairy for 30 years, and while, we thought it was neat and looked like fun, it seemed like more than we wanted to take on. But, when Lisa mentioned that they were planning to reduce their herd size and that Mocha would be looking for a home our minds started spinning. Mocha has spent her 5 years of life wandering the hills of VT, mothering four beautiful calves, and providing milk for dozens of people. We knew that she would be able to teach us how to care for her and that she would support us with her delicious milk. So we went for it!
Jonathan and I are still in our honeymoon phase with Mocha as she works her way around our hillside and magically creates gallons of milk from our grass each day. Sitting against her side each morning and evening we get an opportunity to meditate on the interdependence of all life. Every breath, every meal, and every moment we move through a web of connection that supports us. Feeling the milk leave her body and splash into our pail is a reminder of this, and it's no wonder that so many religions worship cows! While I milk a prayer from the celtic christian tradition comes to my mind:
"Bless O God my little cow
Bless O God my desire.
Bless thou my partnership
and the milking of my hands O God.
Bless O God each teat
Bless Thou each drop
that goes into my pitcher O God."